Reborn in Brazil As a Plutocrat

  Chapter 198 Feast for the Chief

  After leaving this luxurious manor, Fang Lang separated from Mr. Radia Redondo, because he had already made an appointment to have lunch with Rear Admiral Friedrich Crook, Chief of Staff of the Naval General Staff.

  Fang Lang didn't know any good restaurants in Rio, but the last time I ate with General Leta at the Olim restaurant, I felt pretty good. This time, I made an appointment directly here.

  As a subordinate, Fang Lang didn't wait long in the restaurant, and General Crook was escorted by the guards to the restaurant door soon.

   "General Crook, it's a great honor to invite you to have lunch, please."

   Today's General Crook is wearing plain clothes, and the gold-rimmed glasses on his eyes are the same pair that Fang Lang saw last time. It may be because of the casual clothes. Fang Lang feels that General Crook looks a lot more casual today.

   There was an unlit cigar in his mouth, as if he was chewing. This was in great contrast to his more gentle appearance, and Fang Lang was in a daze for a while.

  However, Fang Lang always remembered that Colonel Parisi told himself that General Crook was a person who paid great attention to military appearance and discipline.

  So even though Fang Lang was wearing casual clothes at this time, he still stood very straight and cleaned himself up very neatly.

   This obviously made General Crook very satisfied, he smiled and patted Fang Lang's shoulder and said:

   "Okay, you don't need to be so formal. Now we are in a private occasion. Everyone is wearing casual clothes. Don't let others see your identity at a glance."

   Seeing General Crook's appearance, Fang Lang didn't dare to really relax completely. Although Fang Lang didn't like this state, the superiors liked it, so he could only carry it.

   After all, I am not familiar with General Crook, and this is the second meeting.

  After listening to General Morais's words yesterday, Fang Lang thought that since he came to Rio, he also wanted to get in touch with his superiors, so he invited General Crook to dinner.

   Unexpectedly, the other party agreed without hesitation, which was beyond Fang Lang's expectation.

  Since the leader accepted your banquet, it means that the relationship between the two may be closer. Fang Lang is of course very happy.

   Soon the two came to the box and sat down, and the guards were eating in the hall outside the box.

   Before Fang Lang opened his mouth to find a topic, General Crook had already taken the initiative to say:

   "This time, your family's auto industry system has made a lot of noise! ​​I heard a lot of people discussing it yesterday!"

  Hearing that General Crook took the initiative to mention the automobile industry, Fang Lang thought to himself, it could not be the general who wants to get involved!

  However, this is also normal. No one grows up drinking dew. It is a good thing to have demand.

   "Oh! Your Excellency General's family also has a shareholding? Please tell me who it is, and I will arrange shares for him immediately."

  General Crook was taken aback when he heard Fang Lang's words, was he so blatant?

   When I asked for a bribe?

   Fearing that Fang Lang would misunderstand, he shook his head and said:

   "Fang, you misunderstood, my family has always been fishing shrimp boats for a living, but they don't have the strength to go ashore to participate in this kind of business.

  So, I heard the news at the dinner yesterday, so I asked you about the situation. "

  General Crook's words reminded Fang Lang of a very interesting thing, the shrimp boat catching lobsters.

  Brazil almost had a big war with France because of lobster fishing. Although there was no fight in the end, this incident directly led to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Seas.

   Things have to start in 1961, when a group of French fishermen came to the waters of northeastern Brazil in order to catch lobsters, which made the Brazilian fishermen feel very uncomfortable.

  Seeing that the lobsters were caught by the French one by one, the Brazilian fishermen hurriedly reported the matter to the authorities. When the leaders of the Brazilian Navy heard this, it's okay?

   Immediately sent two warships to warn the French fishermen. Now the French quit. Why do you have warships in Brazil, don't we in France?

   So, in February 1962. France sent the destroyer Tartu to the northeast coast of Brazil. As a result, the French destroyer was spotted and tracked by the Brazilian Air Force just 100 nautical miles into the disputed waters.

  After receiving the information, the Brazilian Navy immediately dispatched the aircraft carrier Minas Gerais, a light cruiser, a destroyer unit, a submarine and a patrol ship to the sea area where the French warship was located.

  The navies of the two countries stared at each other for several hours. Finally, the French destroyer gave up and turned its bow to leave the disputed waters.

  In order to save face, France sent a task force to Brazil at the end of February, including an aircraft carrier, an air defense cruiser, two destroyers, five frigates, and a supply ship.

  Facing the tense situation, the Brazilian military launched further operations. Several squadrons equipped with B17 bombers were urgently dispatched to Recife Airport in northeast Brazil to stand by.

  Brazil's navy has also launched large-scale exercises near the northeast coast for several consecutive days, and even the Brazilian army has been mobilized urgently to the border of French Guiana to stand by.

   Once the fight started, they planned to drive directly into French Guia. Fortunately, the leaders of the two countries calmed down later, and they didn't really shoot out. They just transferred to the international court to fight the lawsuit.

  The final result is that Brazil expanded its exclusive economic zone to 200 nautical miles, while France's 26 fishing boats can continue to fish in the original area for five years.

  Because of the lobster-triggered war, the United Nations Convention on the Seas and the concept of a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone were finally brought about.

  Hearing that General Crook’s family lived on shrimp fishing, I couldn’t help but start to murmur in my heart. It’s not because of you that the Brazilian navy went to war with France so recklessly, right?

   Has personality, I like it. The key is to prove once again that the French are really cowards.

   "Hey! General Crook, I didn't expect that your family also makes a living from fishing, so we have more opportunities to cooperate.

  Isn’t Colonel Parisi, the former naval commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, retired?

  Mr. Parisi and I partnered to open a fishing company. Now the company has more than forty fishing boats, and they are all the latest trawlers.

  How about the three of us cooperate to make it bigger and stronger? "

   Originally, Fang Lang came to see General Crook today without any clear goal. He just wanted to get in touch with each other. He didn't expect that there would be a chance for cooperation!

  Then how can this be let go? We became business partners with General Crook, isn't it easy to talk about a lot of things?

   And General Crook obviously didn't expect Fang Lang to be so powerful, so he hit the snake and the stick directly.

   This pressing posture is a bit out of breath!

   Quickly coughed twice and changed the subject:

   "Cough, cough. Fang, I don't care about the family business, and it's useless if you tell me.

  Go out to dinner with you today! Mainly at the dinner yesterday, General Morais told me that you have a way to persuade the US Navy to sell us an aircraft carrier? Are you sure? "

  Hehe, it doesn’t matter if you don’t care about the business at home! This is better, it seems that Colonel Parisi should visit General Crook's family.

  I don't believe that you can't take down your family. As long as you have a business relationship with the family of Your Excellency the General, wouldn't the rest be easy?

   As for the aircraft carrier!

   "Your Excellency General, if we want the United States to agree to sell us an aircraft carrier, we may need to spend some money to convince the U.S. Congress. This may not be an immediate success.

   But I heard today, isn’t someone in our Admiralty able to get an aircraft carrier from the UK? Maybe it will cost us less? "

   When General Crook heard these words, it was a bit unpleasant.

  He also knew that Fang Lang had apparently received the wind that someone was seeking the position of captain of an aircraft carrier, which meant a bit of embarrassment.

In fact, in General Crook's mind, Fang Lang is still very capable, and has actual combat experience, and his combat effectiveness has been verified by world wars. His biggest weakness is that he is too young, and he is a little worried that Brazil's most powerful navy Is it appropriate to put the power in his hands.

   Orlando, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of Fang Lang. He is of the right age and has sufficient qualifications. He has been serving as a battleship captain in the Brazilian Navy. The only thing he lacks is that he has no actual combat experience.

   It cannot be said that there is no actual combat experience at all, after all, escorting is also an actual combat mission! It's a pity that he has no experience in killing enemies, and his combat effectiveness has not been verified.

   This has kept General Crook from making up his mind who to support. Since one of them took the initiative to lead the topic to this in a few days, he didn't like to hide it, so he just opened it up and let this guy talk about it.

   "You don't have to beat around the bush to test me, kid, someone did propose to seek an aircraft carrier from the UK, and wanted to be the commander of the aircraft carrier.

how? Are you dissatisfied? "

  Hearing General Crook directly clarify the words, and the obviously provocative words, Fang Lang smiled, understanding that at least General Crook had chosen that side.

   At this time, he was in no hurry, and he called the waiter to order, and then handed the menu to General Crook and said:

   "Come on, Your Excellency General, let's order food first, and chat while eating."

   directly disrupted General Crook's rhythm, and immediately made the expression on General Crook's face change again and again.

   Then he laughed, looking at Fang Lang with admiration in his eyes.

  Good boy, neither humble nor overbearing, has the means to speak and do things, is a powerful person.

   Don't worry about it, and start ordering dishes with peace of mind.

  After both of them ordered, Fang Lang took a sip of red wine before saying unhurriedly:

   "Your Excellency, my First Fleet can be regarded as a task force. It has a navy, a marine corps, and now there are reconnaissance planes assigned to cruisers. If you add an aircraft carrier, you will have a real air force.

  Do you think this is a battleship captain who only has naval service experience can complete the transfer?

  Not to mention other things, I deeply realized how desperate the navy is when facing an enemy with air supremacy in the Pacific naval battle.

  For this reason, I desperately learned aviation tactics from the Americans, how to fly a plane, how to maintain an aircraft, learn aircraft tactics, and learn aircraft scheduling.

  I can now say that there is no one in the whole of Brazil who is better suited to command this task force.

   I was born in the Army, so I know Army tactics, and even my Marine Corps training syllabus was written by me.

  In the Navy, I am the only naval commander in the entire Brazilian Navy with a record of actual combat sinking.

  Air Force As I said just now, I understand the tactics and command of the Air Force.

  I don't trust my competitors to have the same strength as me. "

  Sometimes, some things, if you don't fight, you will give up. Fang Lang is not an indisputable person. He is confident that he is better than Orlando, and there is no reason for the opponent to steal the tower.

  (end of this chapter)